Ravenside pet food store approved

Pets At Home applied to Rother's planning committee to sell pet food from unit 7B.

It would require the lifting of a planning condition made to prevent the sale of food from six units on the site when original planning permission for Ravenside was granted

Officers advised councillors the rule was put in place chiefly to prevent an excessive number of shops selling food for human consumption.

Members agreed to lift the condition, but only on the basis it applied expressly to Pets At Home and covered the sale of pet food on that specific unit.

Councillors said they feared any ambiguous agreement could be abused in future.

They agreed to the change after the initial recommendation was refused.

Several councillors argued the store would provide unfair competition for town centre traders.

They were warned by officers that was not a material planning matter.

Cllr Deirdre Williams said: "I would very much like to find a way round (to refuse the application).

"I think pet food is already sold in Tesco and that is enough competition for our little pet shops in the town.

"If we could find a way to refuse this I would support it."

Cllr Paul Lendon said: "I'm concerned about Ravenside full-stop. It has had a serious impact on the area and this is just more competition for smaller businesses in Bexhill."

Cllr Joanne Gadd supported the scheme, saying she already travels to Eastbourne to shop for her pets and a large store in Bexhill would keep business in the town.

"If we don't support the bigger companies people will just go to Tunbridge Wells or Eastbourne and Bexhill will just be bypassed," said Cllr Wendy Miers.